Combined supporting and holding device



p 0- I N. P; SI'II'ENISII-IOEL COMBINED SUPPORTING AND HOLDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Shut 1 lNVENmR.

1%.2; JVZsPSZsnshoel,

By M W ATTORNEY.

Sept. 16, 1930. N. P. STENS'HOEL 1,776,157

COIBINED SUPPORTING AND HOLDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 21, 1929 I 2 Shuts-Shut 2 I N VEN TOR.

JIZsBSZenshw ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 16, 1930 NELS r. srENsHoEL, F onooxs'ron, MiitivnsoTA COMBINED SUPPORTING AND HOLDING DEVICE Application filed November 21, 1929. Serial No. 408,826.

This invention relates to a combined supporting and holding device for use by morticians and has for its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device for 6 supporting the head and jaws and for holding the shoulders of a corpse in place when embalming.

As is well known to morticians, when a corpse is placed on a table, the shoulders 10 thereof have a tendency of moving to the head, while the neck sinks into the chest, giving to the corpse a contracted or drawn up appearance. To overcome the foregoing obj ection is the aim of the device, in accordance with this invention, and to this end the device provides for properly supporting the head and jaws, as well as providing for drawing the shoulders down tomake the neck appear longer thereby giving the body a much better appearance and further enabling the mortician to make the clothes fit.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device for the purpose referred to capable of being adjusted for use in connection with bodies of different sizes.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a combined supporting and holding device for the purpose referred to which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, compact, thoroughly efficient in its use, conveniently adjusted, readily assembled and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel con struction, combiii'atioi'i' and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically de 40 scribed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope ofthe claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a side elevation of a corpse showin'gthe adaptation therewith of a combined supportin and holding device in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view illustrating the adjustable head and jaw rest.

Figure 3 is a front elevation partly in secat tion illustrating the adjustable supporting means for the head and jaw rest.

Figure 4 is a detail illustrating the adjustable connection between the head rest and body harness.

Figure 5 is a top plan view and Figure 6 is a sectional plan of the form of adjustable coupler employed.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of one of the elements ofthe body harness.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 denotes a base member of rectangular contour having secured thereon by the holdfast de vices 2 a vertically disposed, quadrant shaped rack 3 provided at its top with a stop 4 for a purpose to be presently referred to. The bottom of the rack is formed with a right angularly disposed flange 5 through which extends the holdfast device 2 to fixedly secure the rack 3 to the base member 1. The teeth of the rack are indicated at 6 and the upper tooth is spaced a substantial distance from the stop 4. I o

A holder arm for the head rest is generally indicated at7. The head rest will be referred so to more specifically hereinafter and is generally indicated at 8. The arm 7comprises an upper portion 9 and a lower portion 10 disposed at an angle with respect to each other. The lower portion 10 is bifurcated as at 11 and straddles the rack 3. The lower end of the portion 10 is pivotally connected to the rack 8 as at 12. The arm 7 is adjustable relatively to the rack 3 and is retained in set position by a pawl 13 which extends through 00 the furcationin the portion 11 and is pivotally connected to the latter as at 14. The pawl 13 engages with the teeth 6 for the purpose of maintaining the arm 7 in its adjusted position. The upper portion 9 of the arm 7 is of cylindrical cross section.

The head rest 8 includes a U-shaped part 15' terminating in a pair of oppositely eX- tending, downwardly inclined extensions 16,

17 of cylindrical cross section. The exten- 21, the latter being formed with an opening,

22 which extends at right angles with respect to the shank and the latter is formed with threads 23. The head 21 is of cylindrical cross section and has mounted thereon a shii'table sleeve 24, provided with diametrically disposed openings 25 adapted to register with the opening 22.

Threadedly engaging with the shank or stem 20 is a binding nut 26 having its inner "face formed with a boss 27. Mounted on the stem or shank 20 is a split clamping member 28 provided with a circular opening 29. The sleeve 24 coacts with the head 21 to constitute a clamp. The clamping member 28 projects laterally from the shank or stem 20. The post 19 is extended through the opening 29 and the arm 7 through the openings 22 and 25. By screwing up the nut 26, the boss 27 engaging with the member 28' will provide for the latter clamping the post 19 thereto and on such operation the head 21 will be shifted relatively to the sleeve 24; under such conditions the arm 7 will be clamped to the coupling device. The coupling member 28 can be shifted to any desired angular position with respect to the stem or shanl t 20 to receive the portion 9 of the arm 7 irrespective in what position the portion 9 has been set, with respect to the elevating and lowering of the arm 7. The manner of connecting the post 19 to the coupling device permits of the head rest to be vertically adjusted to the desired position and after so adjusted can be fixed in such position.

A pair of jaw rests form elements of the device, but they are of the same construction, but one will be described as the description of one applies to the other. The jaw rest elements are oppositely disposed with respect to each other and each comprises a carrier referred to generally at 30 and which is in the form of a rod oi cylindrical cross section and having a rear part 31, a forward part 32 and an intermediate part The part 32 is disposed at an angle with respect to the par 33 and the latter is cisposed at an angle with respect to the part 31. The part 33 extends inwardly from the for ward end of the part 31. The part 32 extends inwardly and at a rearward inclination with respect to the part 33 but is of mate rially less length than the part 33. The part 32 terminates in a cup-shaped member 34 which provides the rest for the jaw.

The jaw rest elements are adj ustably connected to the extensions 16, 17 by a pair of coupling devices 35, 36 respectively, and each of said devices is of a construction corresponding to the construction of the coupling device which connects the arm '7 and post 19 together.

By reference to Figure 2 the part 31 o1 car rier 3Q extends through the coupling member 37 of the coupling devices 35, 36, and the extensions 16, 17 extend through the sleeves and T-shapod members of the coupling devices 35, 36.

The means for drawing the shoulden-i down is in the form of a harness consisting of two like elements which are pivotally and adjustably connected to the extensions 16, 17. 1Only one of these elements is completely disclosed and the description thereof willapply to the other. Each element comprises an L-shaped member referred to generally at 33 and con sisting of a longitudinally extending bottom arm 39 and a vertically extending rear arm 10 having its upper end directed forwardly upon a curve as at d1. Fixedly secured to the arm 40 is an inwardly extending, inclined lug 42 which projects rearwardly from such arm and is pivotally connected as at 43 in the bifurcated lower end 44; of a socket mem ber 45 into which projects the forward end of an extension ltl or 17. The rear end of the member 45 is providedwith peripheral threads and the extension 16 or 17 is also provided with peripheral threads indicatedat4c6. Threadedly engaging with the threads of the member 45 and the threads of the extension is a coupling collar 47 which acts to maintain the extension in set position relative to the member l5 and by this arrangement the L-shaped member 38 can be positioned the desired distance with respect to the U-shaped part 15 ot the head rest 8, or in other words, arranged the desired distance from the head 48 of the corpse l9, the latter being positioned on the table 50;

The shoulder drawing down elements further include a pair of adjustable loop-s 51, 52,

the former beingcoupled against the arms 39 and 40 by the attaching members 53, 5st respectively. The means to provide for adjusting the size of the loop 51 is indicated at 55 and the means for adjusting the'size of the loop 52 is indicated at 56. The major portion of each loop is provided with a covering 57 of a material which will not injure the skin of the corpse. The loops 51, 52 are adj ustably connected together by a strap 58. The loop 51 is to extend around a shoulder of the corpse 49 and the loop 52 around the upper end of the leg of the corpse, and in this connection see Figure 1. The arm 39 of the L-shaped member 38 is positioned under lULl the shoulder of the corpse and the arm 40 opposes such shoulder.

The U-shaped portion 15 of the head rest supports the head 48 of the corpse, and in this connection see Figure 1. The members 3 L support the jaws of the corpse and in this connection see Figure 1.v The loops 51, 52 are positioned upon the corpse and in connection with the strap 58 provide for the drawing down of the shoulder of the corpse, and in this connection see Figure 1.

What I claim is:

1. A device for the purpose referred to comprising a head rest element including a pair of extensions and a vertical post, an ad justable support, an adjustable coupling device between said post and said support, a pair of adjustable jaw rest elements, and adjustable coupling devices between said jaw rest elements and the extensions.

2. A device for the purpose referred to comprising a head rest element including a pair of extensions and a vertical post, an adjustable support, an adjustable coupling device between said post and said support, a pair of adjustable jaw rest elements, adjustable coupling devices between said jaw rest elements and the'extensions', and adjustable shoulder drawing down means pivotally and adjustably connected to-said extensions 3. A device for the purpose referred to comprising a head rest element including a pair of extensions and a vertical post, an adjustable support, an adjustable coupling clevice between said post and said support, a pair of adjustable jaw rest elements, adjustable coupling devices between said aw rest elements and the extensions, and means for latching said support in adjusted position.

4. A device for the purpose referred to comprising a head rest element including a pair of extensions and a vertical post, an adjustable support, an adjustable coupling device between said post and said support, a pair of adjustable jaw rest elements, adjustable coupling device-s between said jaw rest elements and the extensions, adjustable shoulder drawing down means pivotally and adjustably connected to said extensions, and means for latching said support in adjusted position.

5. A device for the purpose referred to comprising a head rest element including a pair of extensions and a vertical post, a supporting element including an adjustable arm, an adjustable coupling device between said post and arm, means for latching said arm in adjusted position, a pair of adjustable jaw rest elements, and adjustable coupling devices between said elements and extensions.

6. A device for the purpose referred to comprising a head rest element including a pair of extensions and a vertical post, a supporting element including an adjustable arni, an adjustable coupling device between said post and arm, means for latching said arm in adjusted position, a pair of adjustable'jaw rest elements, adjustable coupling devices between saidelements and the extensions, and adjustable shoulder drawing down means pivotally and adjustably connected to said extensions- 7. A device for the purpose referredto comprising an adjustable head rest element including a pair of oppositely disposed, downwardly inclined extensions and a vertical post, an adjustable supporting element including an angle-shaped, pivoted arm arranged below said head rest element, said supporting element including means for latching said arm, an adjustable coupling device. between said post and said arm,a pair of angle-shaped, oppositely extending jaw rest elements, and adjustable coupling devices between said jaw rest elements and said extensions.

8. A device for the purpose referred to comprising an adjustable head rest element including a pair of oppositely disposed, downwardly inclined extensions and a vertical post, an adjustable supporting element includingan angle-shaped, pivoted arm arranged below said head rest element, said 1 hereto.

NELS P. STENSHOEL. 

